This Instant Pot BBQ Pulled Chicken recipe is my favorite way to get dinner on the table fast on busy weeknights. With just boneless chicken breasts or boneless thighs and BBQ sauce, you'll have tender, juicy chicken in under 30 minutes. It's perfect for chicken sandwiches, rice bowls, quesadillas, or tacos.
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Looking for more easy chicken recipes? Try my Instant Pot Chicken Drumsticks, Air Fryer Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs, and Air Fryer Bacon-Wrapped Chicken Breasts.
Use your favorite BBQ sauce, sweet, smoky, or spicy, and use this pulled chicken for sandwiches, wraps, sliders, or nachos for an easy meal.
If you love this recipe, try my Smoked Pulled Chicken and Instant Pot BBQ Pulled Pork Tenderloin next!
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Why You'll Love This Easy Instant Pot BBQ Chicken Recipe
- This pressure cooking recipe is incredibly easy to make.
- Tender, juicy chicken with sweet and smoky BBQ flavor.
- Works with boneless chicken breasts or thighs.
- Perfect for sandwiches, tacos, or salads.
- Great for meal prep or quick summer meals.
Ingredients You'll Need
- Boneless, skinless chicken breasts. I used four boneless skinless chicken breasts for this recipe. You can also use boneless, skinless chicken thighs.
- Your favorite barbeque sauce. I like to use a sweet and smoky BBQ sauce, but you can use whatever flavor you want. I used Sweet Baby Ray's Original Barbecue Sauce. You can also use your own homemade barbecue sauce.
- Water. You could also use chicken broth instead.
- Optional seasoning. For extra flavor, add a pinch of salt, paprika, or chili powder on top of the chicken before pressure cooking.
See the printable recipe card below for the full list of ingredients and quantities.
How to Make Instant Pot BBQ Pulled Chicken
Overview
- Add trivet, water, and chicken to Instant Pot.
- Spoon on barbecue sauce.
- Cook on high pressure for 15 minutes.
- Natural release for 5 minutes.
- Mix chicken with BBQ sauce and serve.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Place a trivet in the Instant Pot and add 1 cup of water. Place boneless chicken breasts in a single layer on the trivet. (I used a 6-quart Instant Pot.)
Step 2: Place about ⅓ cup of barbecue sauce on top of the chicken breasts. Secure the lid and turn the valve to the sealing position. Cook on high pressure for 15 minutes.
Step 3: After the cook time is up, let the pressure naturally release for 5 minutes. Then, turn the valve to venting and quick release any remaining pressure.
Step 4: Open the lid, lift out the chicken, and drain the water. Place the chicken back in the pot and shred it with two forks, or use an electric hand mixer or the paddle attachment of a stand mixer on low speed. Meat claws also work. Add the remaining barbecue sauce and stir well to combine.
If using frozen chicken breasts, prepare the recipe the same way, except extend the natural release time to 10 minutes.
Serving Ideas for BBQ Chicken
Serve the shredded chicken meat on Old-Fashioned Air Buns, brioche buns, Instant Pot White Rice, pasta, or quinoa. Top with my Coleslaw with Miracle Whip and additional barbecue sauce if desired.
You can also serve it on BBQ Chicken Pizza or Panera Bread BBQ Chicken Salad.
It goes perfectly with a side of Traeger Corn on the Cob and Dill Mashed Potatoes.
Slow Cooker Instructions
To make this BBQ chicken recipe in a slow cooker, place the chicken and all of the BBQ sauce in the slow cooker, set it on low, and let it cook for 6-8 hours. Once the chicken is cooked, shred it with a fork or chop it into bite-sized pieces.
Recipe Tips
- Drain the water from the pot when the chicken is done cooking, then add the sauce.
- You can quickly shred chicken by using an electric hand mixer or the paddle attachment of your stand mixer.
- Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to four days or in the freezer for up to two months.
Variations
- Spicy: Add hot sauce, diced jalapeno peppers, or cayenne pepper.
- Sweet: Add some brown sugar or honey to make a sweeter sauce.
Recipe FAQs
No, the BBQ sauce has a high sugar content, so it will stick to the bottom of the pot and give you the burn notice. You need to use water or chicken broth as the liquid for this recipe.
Yes. Cook for 15 minutes at high pressure and 10 minutes of natural release.
Yes. Thighs will cook in about the same amount of time. If using bone-in thighs, add 3-5 extra minutes to the cook time.
Yes, you can easily double the recipe. Use the same 1 cup of water, but double the chicken and barbecue sauce. Don't go past the MAX line. The cook time will be the same.
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Printable Recipe
Instant Pot BBQ Pulled Chicken
Ingredients
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (or boneless chicken thighs)
- 1 cup barbecue sauce (your favorite BBQ sauce)
- 1 cup water (or chicken broth)
- Optional: pinch of salt, paprika, or chili powder for extra flavor
Instructions
- Place the trivet inside the Instant Pot and pour in 1 cup of water. Arrange the chicken breasts in a single layer on top of the trivet. (I used a 6-quart Instant Pot.)
- Pour about ⅓ cup of BBQ sauce over the top of the chicken. Secure the lid and turn the valve to the sealing position.
- Set to HIGH pressure for 15 minutes. When the cooking time ends, do a natural release for 5 minutes. Then, turn the valve to venting to release any remaining pressure.
- Carefully lift the chicken out and drain the liquid. Return the chicken to the pot and shred with two forks, or use an electric hand mixer or stand mixer with the paddle attachment on low speed.
- Add the remaining BBQ sauce to the shredded chicken and stir to coat. Add more sauce for a saucier texture. Serve hot with your favorite sides and enjoy!
Video
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Notes
- Drain the water from the chicken when it's done cooking before adding the sauce.
- Add a little extra BBQ sauce if you like your chicken extra saucy.
- Leftover BBQ chicken can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to four days or in the freezer for up to two months.
Nutrition
The provided nutrition information is automatically calculated. Accuracy is not guaranteed.
Marcellina says
Turned out succulent and tasty! Thanks!